Harry Potter and the Green Flame Torch
by WizardPhish
Summary: It's Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts Schhol of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The evil Voldemort is gaining power. Can Harry stop him?


Harry felt cold and a shiver went down his spine. His hands were sweaty and he felt a cool rag come across his face.  
  
"Harry?" asked a young woman's voice. Harry knew this voice. This was Mandolin Black, Harry's godfather's new wife. Sirus Black had recently been released from jail and soon after he had met Mandolin (or Linny to her friends and family). After they had settled, they both had asked Harry to live with them, rescuing him from his aunt and uncle, Petunia and Vernon, Dursley.  
  
"Harry, are you ok? Your fever is rising," said Linny as she dipped the rag back into her cup of cold water. "What a lousy way to spend your 16th birthday."  
  
"What time is it?" asked Harry as he attempted to sit up. But instead, he fell back down on his bed.  
  
"About 1 am," Linny said. "I was asleep but I heard you tossing and turning so I came to check on you. Sirius is still asleep. He needs to get into the Ministry office early."  
  
Sirius was a Phemo, someone who investigated wizard phenomenon. Recently, though, he had been filling in for dead aurors, or dark wizard catchers.  
  
This was because of Voldemort. Voldemort was said to be the darkest wizard of the age. 15 years ago, Voldemort was in power and 15 years ago he had come to Harry's house and killed his parents. Surprisingly, when Voldemort tried to kill Harry, his powers rebounded and left Voldemort powerless, while all Harry got was a lightning scar. Harry didn't know all this until he had started school at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry 6 long years ago. There, he was famous for his scar.  
  
But 2 years ago, Harry met Voldemort again. Voldemort had risen from being powerless and had now come back to power. His old followers, Death Eaters, had rejoined him and killings were happening again.  
  
"Go back to sleep, Harry. You need to get some rest for....." Linny stopped.  
  
Harry was about to ask why he needed to get extra rest but stopped when he fell fast asleep. When Harry woke up the next day, he heard pans clattering in the kitchen and Sirius and Linny arguing. He went down and sat on the stairs in a place they could not see him.  
  
"You have to go, Sirius. It's important to Harry!" hissed Linny as she put some bacon on the stove.  
  
"I wish I could," said Sirius. "But I can't! Everyone needs me today."  
  
Linny sighed and put her wand to the burner. It lit up instantly and the bacon was fried.  
  
Harry decided to walk down the stairs.  
  
"Hello, Harry dear. Happy Birthday! Now you just sit in that chair while I got get some aspirin." said Linny as she bustled off.  
  
"What was that about?" asked Harry as he sat down next to Sirius.  
  
"The arguing? Oh, nothing. Eat your breakfast, Harry. Linny told me about your fever." he answered, shoving a plate of bacon and scrambled eggs toward Harry.  
  
"Do all wizards have aspirin?" asked Harry as he started to eat.  
  
"Oh, no. Linny is half-blood. She was raised in Puerto Rico by her Puerto Rican mother. When she got her Hogwarts letter, she went to live with her English father in London. But, despite her wand, she still uses some Muggle things. Well, I've got to be off." said Sirius as he stood up. "Have a happy birthday." and Sirius disaperated, or disappeared into thin air. Linny came back in again.  
  
"Ok, Harry. Here's your-" She stopped.  
  
"Where did Sir-"  
  
"He diaperated," said Harry.  
  
"Oh," She said. "Well, Harry, we're going to the Weasleys."  
  
Harry chocked down his piece of toast. "We are?" "Yep!" said Linny as she bustles around, looking for Floo Powder.  
  
Floo Powder was a special kind of power. You threw it into a fire and said where you wanted and POOF! You were there.  
  
Linny found the Floo powder and took a pinch.  
  
"I'll go first," she said. Linny stepped into the fire and shouted, "The Burrow!"  
  
After she had left, Harry waited for a second. He could almost hear a noise, but couldn't make out what it was. "Oh well," said Harry aloud. He took a pinch and stepped into the fire.  
  
***  
  
"SURPIRSE!!!" everyone yelled as Harry stepped into the room out of the fireplace.  
  
"What's all this?" asked Harry, clearly looking very pleased (although he tried to show it)  
  
"Well, you told us you've never had a formal birthday party, and well, we decided to give you one," said Ron, the second youngest Weasley and Harry's best friend. "Hermione's here and Bill and Charlie are too. Percy's so busy at his new job doing Mr. Crouch's old job and Fred and George are working really hard in their joke shop. Saturday is the busiest day, you know."  
  
Fred, Bill, Charlie, and Percy were Ron's older brothers. They were out of Hogwarts School and had jobs in the wizarding world. "Oh well," said Harry aloud. He took a pinch and stepped into the fire.  
  
***  
  
"SURPIRSE!!!" everyone yelled as Harry stepped into the room out of the fireplace.  
  
"What's all this?" asked Harry, clearly looking very pleased (although he tried to show it)  
  
"Well, you told us you've never had a formal birthday party, and well, we decided to give you one," said Ron, the second youngest Weasly and Harry's best friend. "Hermione's here and Bill and Charlie are too. Percy's so busy at his new job doing Mr. Crouch's old job and Fred and George are working really hard in their joke shop. Saturday is the busiest day, you know."  
  
Fred, Bill, Charlie, and Percy were Ron's older brothers. They were out of Hogwarts School and had jobs in the wizarding world. "Here, Harry," said a small girl with flaming red hair as she handed Harry a present. Her name was Ginny and she was the only Weasly girl. She had been very taken with Harry since the first time they had met, 16 years ago.  
  
He opened the present and found a wooden nametag with his named carved in it.  
  
"It's for your Hogwarts truck, so you don't loose it," she said, then ran away.  
  
"Ron, tell Ginny that was very thoughtful of her," said Harry, holding back a smile.  
  
Just then, Mrs. Weasly bustled into the kitchen. Short and slightly pudgy, Mrs. Weasly was one of the nicest and most caring people Harry had ever met.  
  
"Oh, Harry dear, come sit down. Everyone, stop crowding around him, stop!" shouted Mrs. Weasly. "Put your presents on the kitchen table. One by one, Harry opened present after present. Charlie, who worked with dragons in Romania, gave Harry a new pair of dragon hide gloves. Bill gave him a wand repairing kit, Ron gave him a Chudley Cannons poster. In this picture, like every picture in the wizarding word, the people moved.  
  
"Oh, wow Ron. Thank you!" said Harry.  
  
There was only one more present on the table.  
  
"Coming through, coming through," said Mr. Weasly. "Oh, Harry, that's mine. I worked real hard on it, yep. Hope you like it."  
  
Harry tore of the wrapping paper, not sure what he would find.  
  
"It's a television, I know, but not just any television. I made it so it broadcasts Quidditch matches. You'll never miss another one," Mr. Weasly explained. "Thanks, Mr. Weasly. It's wonderful!" said Harry, wiping tears out of his eyes. Ron was right, this was Harry's first formal birthday party. He couldn't imagine how much work they had to go through to do this for him.  
  
Suddenly it occurred to him that this might have been what Linny and Sirius were fighting about in the kitchen. He decided not to mention it.  
  
"And now for the birthday cake," said Mrs. Weasly as she carried out a huge, 4 layer, chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry birthday cake with ice cream in the middle, hot fudge and caramel.  
  
"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Harry, happy birthday to you," everyone sang.  
  
Harry blew out all the candles and grabbed the knife. He couldn't wait to try a piece.  
  
After the birthday party, Linny and Harry went home. It had been a long day and Harry drifted off to sleep. The next day, Linny suggested they buy his school things.  
  
"I just hope it's safe," muttered Linny in an undertone as she got ready. "Don't know where a death eater might be lurking. That Muggle school bus they blew up next week..."  
  
Death eaters? Thought Harry. Death eaters were Voldemort's supporters. And what was all this business about blowing up a school bus?  
  
Linny was finally ready and she got the floo powder out.  
  
And again thought Harry as he stepped into the flame.  
  
Surprisingly, he landed right where he wanted to, in Flourish and Blott's Book Shoppe.  
  
"What books do you need?" asked Linny. Harry had received his list of schoolbooks one week earlier.  
  
"Defense against the Dark Arts, Year 6, the Book of Spells, Talons and Tealeaves, a guide to Intermediate Divination, and I Wish I was a Wizard, a study for the Muggle Folks of Great Britain." said Harry, reading off the list. "Let's go get some ice cream," said Linny after they had bought Harry's books.  
  
This is what Harry liked about Linny. She always acted young, knowing what would make someone happy. If he couldn't be with Sirius, Harry supposed that Linny could be just as fun. And anything, ANYTHING, was better that living with the Dursley's.  
  
"Ok," he said as they walked down the cobblestone path.  
  
Harry loved this street. It was called Diagon alley and only wizard and witches were allowed to shop here. The entire street was filled with little, old shops and stocked with everything from new robes to frogs' toes. Harry and Linny ate their ice cream out in the bright sunlight of the alley.  
  
"It's funny, really," said Linny as she licked her cone. "This time tomorrow you'll be on the train to school. I'll miss you."  
  
Harry wasn't used to this. He had always loved going Hogwarts, more that anything, but now he wasn't quite so sure anymore. He liked living with Linny and Sirius better. Plus, he could see Ron and Hermione anytime he liked.  
  
"I'll miss you too, Linny," said Harry, and he told her what he had jus thought.  
  
"I always liked to go to school too. See, my father was the Minister of Magic, before Cornelius Fudge. He really had no time for me and my Muggle Puerto Rican mother couldn't support me, so I mostly spent my time reading and doing stuff on my own. When I went to school, though, everything was different. It was like an alternate reality," Linny said.  
  
"Your father was the former Minister of Magic?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yep," she answered. "Right when Voldemort was at the height of his power. Déjà vu, it fells like." When Harry got home from Diagon Alley, Sirius and Linny threw him a big dinner. Harry was thrilled.  
  
"This is delicious!" said Harry, looking amongst the cakes and chicken, corn and mashed potatoes. Piles after piles of cream puffs and noodles.  
  
"How are we going to eat all this?" he said.  
  
"Oh, Harry, don't worry. I'm going back to work and Sirius is rarely here, so we don't have much time to cook dinner. It'll be a great way to not starve," said Linny. They all burst out laughing.  
  
So this is what it's like to be in a family, thought Harry. He liked it. It was a good change. When they started eating again, Linny said, "Harry, do you have all your school books?"  
  
"Yep," said Harry.  
  
"And your wand? Your school robes?"  
  
"Yep and yep."  
  
"Hedwig's new food? Some treats? Her cage? Your potions ingredients?"  
  
"I have it all, Linny! No need to worry," said Harry.  
  
"Oh, Harry, it's been a long time since I've been to Hogwarts, and...." Linny sighed.  
  
"And you'll be sure to write us," said Sirius.  
  
"Yes. Well, I think I've got to get to bed," said Harry, putting his plate near the sink and yawning. "G'night."  
  
"G'night," said Linny and Sirius.  
  
And Harry, tired but very pleased, went right to sleep. "Hey, Harry," said Seamus as Harry walked onto the Hogwarts Express, a train that would take all the students to Hogwarts.  
  
"Hi," said Harry. He was busy trying to get his massive truck onto the overhead rack. With all the extra stuff Linny packed, it would barley fit through the compartment door.  
  
Harry soon gave up and sat down with his truck next to him to wait for Ron and Hermione. Ever since the first year they had sat with him. "Where are they?" Harry said aloud. The train was moving and Ron and Hermione still weren't there.  
  
"Anything off the trolley, dear?" said a plump witch with a cart full of wizard sweets.  
  
"I'll take 6 of everything," said Harry. "And some owl treats, if you don't mind."  
  
"That's what I'm here for. That'll be 1 galleon, 16 sickles, and 3 knuts," said the witch, rattling off the price in wizard money.  
  
She handed him the sweets and he handed her the money and she left.  
  
Harry sighed and took apart the owl treats. He handed one to Hedwig and she nipped his finger as a sign of gratitude.  
  
Finally, after about a half hour, Ron and Hermione arrived. "Where were you!?!?!" Harry shouted at them.  
  
"Calm down Harry," said Hermione. "Wait until you hear what we have to say first."  
  
"We got here late. I had stayed over at Ron's house with Ginny after the party. When Ginny, Ron, and I got here, Draco Malfoy was standing in the way. He was cursing Neville. Poor Neville, we had to help him."  
  
"And so," continued Ron, "We needed to curse him. Oh, Harry, it was great! We have him the leg locker curse and hurled him into the next compartment, Crabbe and Goyle looked after him. And, here we are!"  
  
Draco Malfoy was an evil Slytherin who had disliked Harry since they had first met. He and his cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, always picked on Neville Longbottom, an extremely forgetful boy who was in their year. "Well, regardless of how late you are," Harry glared at them. "I bought you some sweets."  
  
"Oh, thanks, Harry!" said Hermione, opening a chocolate frog.  
  
"Ug ha mug oh bug ona?" said Ron with a mouthful of Cauldron Cake.  
  
"Sorry, Ron, didn't catch that. Could you repeat it one more time so we see the full extent of your chewed cake?" said Harry.  
  
Ron started to laugh and spit out the entire cake onto the floor.  
  
"God, Ron, you remind me of Crabbe, and that's not a good thing," said Hermione. "Cleanicus flooricus."  
  
The food disappeared. Harry, Hermione, and Ron had a quite enjoyable ride. Pigwidgon, Ron's owl, kept picking at Hedwig, Harry's owl. Finally, Hedwig had enough and she just sat on Pig.  
  
After a few hours, the train came to a stop. Harry, Ron, and Hermione got off the train and into a coach.  
  
"What a beautiful night," exclaimed Hermione. They're coach was made like the ceiling of Hogwarts, able to project the image of what the sky looked like that night.  
  
"I wish I was a first year, this year. I'd love to cross the lake tonight," said Harry. The first years always crossed the lake on boats with Harry's friend Rubeus Hagrid, the gamekeeper.  
  
After they had all crammed into the great hall, Professor McGonagall, the deputy headmistress, head of Gryffindor house, and transfiguration teacher, took a battered hat out of under her cloak and put it on a stool. Surprisingly, the hat burst into song. "Don't judge a book by its cover,  
  
And neither a wizard's cap,  
  
For though I am tattered and batted,  
  
I am the sorting a hat.  
  
4 great wizards founded Hogwarts,  
  
In a time where magic was shamed,  
  
Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin,  
  
These great people were named.  
  
Each formed his own house,  
  
Prizing each nature his own,  
  
Choosing his favourite from the throng,  
  
Letting his features be known.  
  
Gryffindor chose his pupils wisely,  
  
Prizing the daring, courageous, and strong,  
  
Ravenclaw chose hers to match the cleverness,  
  
and witty long.  
  
In Hufflepuff hard workers lie,  
  
Most worthy of admission,  
  
Slytherin was power hungry,  
  
And loves students with great ambition.  
  
Sadly these great wizard,  
  
Would not be alive forever,  
  
How would their students get chosen?  
  
No answer seemed to lever.  
  
Twas Gryffindor who whipped me off his head,  
  
The founders put some brains in me,  
  
So in the future I would choose,  
  
To each house the youngins would see.  
  
So don't be afraid,  
  
Don't shudder, don't sigh,  
  
For in your brains I will decide,  
  
Where your future lies! Harry, Hermione, and Ron clapped for the sorting hat along with all the other students.  
  
"Bones, Jeremy" Professor McGonagall said.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat.  
  
"Ackley, Bruce"  
  
"SLYTHERIN!"  
  
"Evens, Gwendolyn"  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
"Evens, Gregory"  
  
"GRYFFINDOR"  
  
The two were apparently twins. Jeremy, Greg, and Gwen sat down near Harry at the table.  
  
And so the sorting continued in that fashion. Gryffindor got plenty of new first years and Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, cooed with pleasure.  
  
"Oh this is wonderful!" he said. "I hope these first years are up to scratch! We need to win the House Cup for the sixth year in a row!"  
  
Gwen whispered to Harry. "Excuse me, sir, what is the house cup? I come from a non-magical family and I don't know a thing about, um, Hogwarts."  
  
"For each good thing we do, we get points, and if a student does something bad, they loose points. The house that has earned the most points over the year wins the house cup. Oh, and don't worry about not knowing much about magic. I was raised in a non-magical family as well." Harry answered.  
  
Something about Greg and Gwen seemed familiar to Harry. They each had rust red hair and bright green eyes. He shook his head.  
  
"Settle down, students, settle down," said Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster. He wore long silver robes that matched his hair ad beard and half-moon glasses that reflected the light from the stars. 


End file.
